The increase in Gulf Air flights to and from Bahrain and Oman following the airline’s introduction of a two-hub strategy earlier this year has produced record passenger numbers at the airline’s key hubs.

Releasing passenger figures for the year till August 2006, Gulf Air announced a 31.0 per cent increase to 4.7 million passengers through the two hubs, compared to the same period last year.

“Our original studies predicted growth in the region of 25 per cent,” says Gulf Air Vice President Network Fareed Al Alawi.

“It is very pleasing to note however that the numbers have jumped by nearly a third over this period.

“In the first quarter we recorded growth of 24.1 per cent in Bahrain and 20.6 per cent in Oman. However, when the full impact of the two-hub model came into effect with the summer schedule in the second quarter, the growth increased to 41.3 per cent and 39.0 per cent in Bahrain and Oman respectively.”

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